Definition
When legislators exchange votes on different issues—'I'll support your bridge if you support my tax break'—to build coalitions. It's the legislative equivalent of bartering, and about as efficient as medieval marketplaces.
Example Usage
The bill passed only through extensive vote trading, with farm state senators getting agriculture subsidies in exchange for supporting urban transit funding.
Origin
As old as representative democracy itself, formalized in political science literature in the mid-20th century.
Fun Fact
Vote trading is perfectly legal in legislatures but would constitute fraud or bribery in corporate board rooms—apparently different rules apply when it's government.
Source: Legislative behavior terminology
Related Terms
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See “vote trading” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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